Rotary well drilling apparatus



Jan. 14, 1936. A. E. JOHNSON ROTARY WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed April28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NyeNiTfiz-a A El JUZYN 501m ,ZW ZaM MMM 1 Jam1936. A. E. JOHNSON ROTARY WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 19324 Sheets- Sheet 2 Jam 14, 1936. A. E. JOHNSON ROTARY WELL DRILLINGAPPARATUS Filed April 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. JDZINEUN- Jam, 14,1936 A. E. JOHNSON 2,027,734

ROTARY WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY WELL DRILLINGAPPARATUS Fred H. Miller Application April 28, 1932, Serial No. 607,989

23 Claims.

My invention relates to different features in connection with rotarywell drilling apparatus in which the drill string is supported whilebeing lowered and raised from a well by a positive and non-frictionalsupport, that is, distinguishing from the type of slips which engage thedrill pipe by a frictional action. This latter type of support isdetrimental tothe pipe, and on account of injury to the pipe, to acertain extent prohibits the drilling of deep wells. My invention may beconsidered as a further development of my patent application filedDecember 25, 1930, for Rotary well drilling apparatus,- Serial No.504,661, matured to Patent No. 1,983,545, issued December 11, 1934.

This case in one feature of my invention, that is, relating to therunning in and pulling out of the drill string, supports the string inthe rotary 'table or master bushing by lugs which engage a right angularshoulder, such shoulder being transverse to the axial line of the drillstring. In order that the elevator may ride upwardly over suchtransverse shoulder I form the elevator with an internal beveledpassage, the bevel riding up over the squared shoulder when the elevatoris latched on the pipe to engage a right angular elevator shoulder.

An object and feature of my invention to obtain the simplifiedconstruction is to use a tool joint coupling with a squared transverseshoulder at the bottom, this being utilized for supporting a drillstring by means of tiltable lugs in a master bushing and the elevatorshoulders are formed on a removable plug which fits in the upper box ofthe tool joint. This plug has a lateral flange which may be engaged bythe elevator, such flange forming an elevator shoulder. The plug isdesigned so that it may be readily threaded in and out of the tooljoint, and in running in the well the plugs are removed from the tooljoint supported on the rotary table when another stand is beingconnected to the drill string. When the drill string is being removedfrom the well the plugs may be left in the tool joint while the standsare stacked in the well derrick.

Another feature of my invention in regard to the plugs is forming thesewith an irregular, such as an hexagonal, tapered interior to be engagedby a wrench having a lever handle of suitable length. This wrench allowsready screwing up and unscrewing of the plug from the tool joint.

Another feature of my invention relates to the elevator used inconnection with the tool joint and the special plug. This elevator has abeveled or flared upper inner edge, that is, on the upper edge of. thevertical passage through the elevator, this flare or bevel beingsufficient to permit the elevator to slide upwardly over the squaredtransverse shoulder tool joint. Such bevel should be suflicient toengage the outside of the tool joint when the stand of drill pipe is atan angle to the vertical as when stacked in a derrick and the elevatoris swung to one side of the derrick to engage the string for hoistingand running the stand in the well. This bevel or flare is formed so thatwhen the lower part of the elevator engages a drill pipe having a tooljoint coupling secured to the top thereof the flared or beveled portionis forced outwardly allowing the elevator to ride upwardly over the tooljoint to engage the plug which is threaded therein at the upper end.

Another feature of my invention in relation to the elevator is in theconstruction of the gate or door and latch for the gate. The gate ismounted on a vertical hinge pin, and a sliding latch hook upwardlypressed by a spring is used to engage a latch arm on the gate to holdthe gate in a locked position. This latch hook may be positively raisedand lowered by a cam block rotating on a vertical axis and turned by ahorizontally moving handle, this cam block causing the downwardretraction of the latch hook and compressing the spring of the latch.This construction also provides for latching of the gate by slamming thegate closed. In this action the latch arm on the gate forcesthe latchhook downwardly until the hook engages the outside of the arm. The hookthen secures the arm with the gate in its closed position.

Another feature of my invention relates to the type of Kelly bushing andthe master bushing used together in the rotary table. In order to reducethe number of surfaces which require to be machined and to prevent boththe master bushing and the Kelly bushing from being worn out of shapedue to the intermittent torque stresses transmitted between the masterbushing and the Kelly bushing, I provide both of these withcomparatively short machined faces which come into contact and leave aclearance on each side of these faces. This construction is preferablydone by forming lateral vertical grooves in the master bushing on eachside of the lugs for suspending the drill string (which lugs may beformed somewhat of the same construction as 50 my patent applicationabove mentioned). The Kelly bushing, which is formed in two parts with avertical joint, has projecting vertical bosses which fit in the groovesof the master bushing. The torque stresses for rotating the drill stringare 55 transmitted from the rotary table through the grooved faces ofthe master bushing and the bosses of the Kelly bushing.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a rotary table, a master bushing,and a section of a drill string, with the tool joint, plug, and elevatorin section.

F18. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 in the directionof the arrows, showing part of the plug and elevator.

Fig. 3 is an elevation taken in the the arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the plug and the wrench or threadingplug.

Fig. 6 is a plan taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 7,illustrating the construction 01 the Kelly and master bushing.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line I-I of Fig. 6 in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a section of the drill pipe stand, with an elevator shown invertical section.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the Kelly bushing.

Fig. 10 is a diagram of part of a drill string, showing the action ofthe suspension lugs.

Referring first to the drill string construction, this illustrates adrill pipe ll having a tool joint coupling l2 secured thereto. This isattached in the usual manner by the upper end ll of the pipe being upsetto increase its diameter and having a threaded pin l4 which engages in abox I5 of the coupling. This coupling has a squared transverse shoulderIt at the mouth, such shoulder being at right angles to the axis of thedrill pipe coupling. The coupling has a cylindrical outide surface l1and at the top is also provided with a box thread I8 and a transverseshoulder It. An elevator plug designated 20 has a tapered threadedsection 2| threading in the box l8 of the coupling and has a horizontalflange 22 with a lower shoulder 23. This shoulder rests on thetransverse shoulder I9 of the coupling.

direction of The flange is of sumcient diameter to extend a considerabledistance beyond the periphery of the coupling. The plug is provided witha wrench socket 24, this being illustrated as hexagonal and taperingdownwardly. The plug is indicated as having a perforation from top tobottom. A wrench 25 has a plug 26 formed of the proper shape to fit inthe wrench socket 24. This is illustrated as hexagonal and tapering. Thewrench has a. hand operating bar 21 of sufilcient length to give a goodleverage for threading the plug in and out of the coupling. The shoulder23 of the plug extending beyond the coupling is designated herein as anelevator shoulder as it is engaged by the elevator, and the shoulder ISon the bottom of the coupling is designated as a suspension shoulder.

The elevator designated by the assembly numeral 28 has a body structure29 with a gate 30 at the front. The gate when closed and the body of theelevator have a cylindrical opening 3| from top to bottom except for theparallel sections 32 to allow entry of the drill pipe and tool coupling.A characteristic of my invention is that this passage through theelevator has an outward flare or bevel 33 at the top, this bevel beingboth in the body structure and in the gate.

The latch construction of the elevator utilizes a vertical pin 34 whichis secured in a lug 35 on the top of the body part of the elevator, thispin being held in place by a set screw 36. A sleeve 31 is slidablymounted on the pin and operates through a bearing lug 38. This sleeve atthe bottom has a cam block 39 pinned or-otherwise se- 5 cured thereto,this having an inclined cam surface 40. Loosely mounted on the sleevethere is a rotatable cam block 4| having a complementary cam surface andan operating handle 42. This cam block may rotate on a horizontal planeon the vertical axis of the pin 34. It operates between the bearing lug38 and the cam block 39. A head block 43 is secured to the upper end ofthe sleeve and has a latch book 44 extending laterally therefrom. A key45 operating in a groove 1 in the pin 34 prevents rotation of the hook.The pin itself is prevented from rotation by having a squared or similarend .46. A compression spring 41 is coiled on the outside of the sleeveand bears on the bearing lug 28 and the under 20 side of the block 43.The outer end of the latch hook has a bevel 41. A latch arm 48 is formedintegral with the gate. This has a bevel 49 on its f'insige face toengage with the bevel 41 of the hoo When the lever 42 is rotated itpresses downwardly on the cam block 39, which pulls down on the sleeve,compressing a spring 50 and pulling the latch hook downwardly. This,therefore, will release the latch arm from such hook for open- 30 ingthe gate. When it is desired to close the gate after encircling a drillpipe, the gate may be swung closed and by its momentum the latch arm 48depresses the latch hook 44 by the engagement of the beveled surfaces 49and 41; this action 35 compresses the spring 50 when the latch hook isforced downwardly and as soon as the gate is closed the spring elevatesthe latch hook to engage the latch arm and to hold the elevator clamparound the drill string. 40

The bevel flare 33 on the upper portion of the elevator is suflicient sothat this beveled portion may ride over the outside of the suspensionshoulder so that when a stand is stacked in the derrick in a slopingmanner, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and 4:, the elevator is clamped aroundthis stand, it being clamped around the pipe section and pulled upwardlyto lift the stand, there is no chance for the elevator to rock againstthe squared suspension shoulder of the tool joint coupling. The elevatorrides upwardly over the drill pipe and the coupling until it engages theflange of the plug. It will be noted that the elevator has a slightannular rim 5|. The stand of. pipe may then be lifted, the plugsustaining the weight of such stand, and the stand may then be connectedto the drill string suspended on the elevator, as hereinunder detailed.When a stand has been added and the drill string lowered the length ofthe stand the plug is removed for connection of the next stand. By thisarrangement it will be seen that there is no structure enters the wellwhich need be of larger diameter than the tool joint coupling. Inrunning the drill string out of the well the elevator is clamped aroundthe tool joint coupling after a plug has been threaded in the upper endof such coupling. It will be apparent that by the use of the wrench theplug can be attached and loosened and removed very quickly.

In the drawings 1 show a rotary table designated generally by theassembly numeral 55. This is illustrated as having a substantiallyrectangular opening 56 which may be considered as having two verticalends 51 and two vertical sides 58. 75

These have a shoulder 59, the corners of which are cut on a bevel 68.The master bushing 6| has outside edges to fit the edges 51, 58, thebevel 68, and the shoulder 59. The master bushing has two internalvertical edges 62, with offset portions 63, these having a bevel 64joining the edges 62 and 63. This leaves center vertical lugs 65. Thereare end blocks 66 with side edges 61, and between these blocks extendthe pivot pins 68 for the tilting lugs 89, this detail'of constructionof the tilting lugs being mounted in substantially the same manner as inmy patent application above mentioned. In this present case, however,these lugs have a flat upper surface 10 which adjoins thesemi-cylindrical surface H so that the fiat surface engages underneaththe squared transverse shoulder 16 at the bottom of the coupling l2.These lugs, therefore, distinguish from the patent application abovementioned in not having a bevel, as the tool joint at the bottom is notbeveled. The lugs have a flare I2 which may be utilized to center adrill string in the same manner as described in the above mentionedpatent application.

' The Kelly bushing designated by the assembly 13 is in two parts 14with a center joint 15. These are provided with ouside vertical surfaces16 which fit against the vertical joints 11 of the tool joint and reston the horizontal shoulder 18. At the side edges the Kelly bushingsections each have a projecting vertical lug 19 with beveled corners 88which fit in the grooves 8| formed by the offset inside face 63 of themaster bushing. The master bushing and the Kelly bushing have taperedsurfaces 82 and the Kelly bushing has a squared opening 83 toaccommodate the square section of the kelly 84.

By this construction the torque stresses for rotating the kelly aretaken by the lugs 19 against the recessed facesof the grooves 8| of themaster bushing. It is, hence, only necessary to carefully machine thesewearing surfaces, and providing these surfaces prevent distortion of themaster bushing and Kelly bushing, which might take place if they had afitting joint on the line 82. It will be noted that the suspension lugsmay be tilted outwardly for inserting of the Kelly bushing and do notneed to be removed from the master bushing.

In Fig. 10 I illustrate the action of the suspension lugs elevating astand of drill pipe. The stand is usually made up of sections of,possibly, three pipe lengths connected by couplings and if thesecouplings project beyond the periphery of the pipe the upper shoulderengages the lower fioor 12 of the suspension lugs and causes these lugsto tilt upwardly slightly. This allows the joints or couplings to passupwardly. The tool joint on which the string is to be suspended alsotilts these up and then when the string is slightly lowered thesuspension shoulder on the tool joint coupling engages the upper surfaceof the suspension lugs. Therefore, these lugs have an automatic actionin pulling the pipe out of the hole in that they do not need to beforced inwardly manually by the workmen on the derrick floor to suspendthe string of drill pipe while a stand is It will be noted that the plug20 is hollow and thus forms a vent to the coupling and drill pipe. Also,that the non-circular wrench grip socket is formed in this hollowportion of the plug, the socket structure therefore having twofunctions, one for threading the plug in and out of the coupling, andthe other forming an air vent.

Various changes may be madein the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tool joint coupling at the top, a plug secured to theupper end of the coupling and having a flange extending beyond theperiphery of the coupling, the lower edge of the coupling having ashoulder adapted for suspension on a rotary table, and the fiange of theplug being adapted to form an elevator shoulder for suspending saidsection by an elevator.

2. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a sectionof drillpipe having a tool joint coupling at the top, said coupling having alower transverse suspension shoulder formed substantially at rightangles to the axis of the coupling, a plug secured to the upper end ofthe coupling, said plug having a flange extending laterally beyond theperiphery of the coupling and adapted to form an elevator shoulder forengagement by an elevator, the suspension shoulder being adapted to beengaged and supported by a non-frictional support in a rotary table.

3. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tool joint coupling secured to the top, a plug with alateral flange secured to the upper end of the coupling, said flangeextending beyond the periphery of the coupling, and an elevator havingan opening beveled at the top to facilitate sliding upwardly over thecoupling into engagement with said fiange, such flange forming anelevator shoulder.

4. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 3, the lower end ofthe coupling having a suspension shoulder formed at substantially rightangles to the axis of the coupling and being adapt ed for engagement ina rotary table by a nonfrictional supporting element, said bevel in theelevator being adapted to guide the elevator upwardly over saidsuspension shoulder.

5. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tool joint coupling with a threaded connection to the topof the pipe, a plug threaded in the upper end of the coupling, said plughaving a flange extending laterally beyond the periphery of the couplingand adapted to form an elevator shoulder to be engaged by an elevator.

6. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said couplinghaving a suspension shoulder at the lower end extending outwardly beyondthe periphery of the section of pipe, such shoulder being at rightangles to the axis of the coupling and adapted to suspend a pipe by anonlrictional support.

7. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tool joint coupling at the top, Said coupling beingthreaded to the pipe and having a plug threaded in its upper end, saidplug having a flange extending laterally beyond the periphery of thecoupling to form a transverse elevator shoulder at right angles to theaxis of the plug, an elevator having an opening with a bevel at the top,such bevel being adapted to ride upwardly over the lower end of thecoupling to bring the elevator into engagement with the elevatorshoulder of the plug.

8. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim '7, the lower end ofthe coupling having a suspension shoulder extending beyond the peripheryof the pipe and being at right angles to the axis of the coupling, and arotary table having tiltable lugs with a flat upper surface to engagesaid suspension shoulder.

9. In aweil drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tool joint coupling threaded on the upper end, saidcoupling having a suspension shoulder at the bottom formed at rightangles to the axis of the coupling and extending outwardly beyond theperiphery of the pipe, a plug threaded in the upper end of the couplingand having a flange extending outwardly beyond the periphery of thecoupling, such flange forming an elevator shoulder, an elevator havingan opening beveled at the top, said bevel being adapted to engage thesuspension shoulder end of the coupling and to guide the.levatorupwardly over the coupling into engagement with the elevator shoulderflange of the plug.

10. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 9, a rotary tablehaving a. master bushing therein with a pair of tilting lugs, said lugshav-- ing a flat upper surface, means to support the lugs with suchsurface horizontally, the flat surface engaging the suspension shoulderat the lower end of the coupling.

11. In a rotary well drilling apparatus the combination of a string ofdrill pipe having means constructed for suspension in a rotary table tosuspend the drill string, a lifting device removably attached to thepipe and having a laterally projecting elevator flange extending beyondthe drill pipe adapted to be engaged by an elevator for raising andlowering the drill string, another and upper pipe attachable to the saidpipe after removal of the lifting device.

12. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the combination in a string ofdrill pipe of a sectionof pipe having a coupling means for removablyattaching various sections of pipe, a lifting device secured to thecoupling means and having a lateral projection extending beyond thecoupling means for engagement by an elevator for raising and loweringthe drill string, said lifting device being removable for attachinganother pipe section to a coupling means.

13. In a rotary well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 12, the saidcoupling means having a shoulder projecting beyond a pipe section andadapted for non-frictional suspension of the drill string in a rotarytable.

14. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination of a section of drillpipe having a tubular tool joint coupling connected to the top of thepipe, a lifting device secured in the upper end of the coupling andhaving an elevator flange extending laterally beyond the periphery of.the coupling and adapted to form an elevator shoulder to be engaged byan elevator, said lifting device being removable for attachment ofanother and upper drill pipe to the coupling.

15. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 14, said couplinghaving a suspension shoulder of lesser diameter than the flange of'thelifting device but of greater diameter than the pipe, said suspensionshoulder being adapted to suspend a drill string in a rotary table byanonfrictional suspension.

16. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 14, said couplinghaving a suspension shoulder of lesser diameter than the flange of thelifting device but of greater diameter than the pipe, said suspensionshoulder being .adapted to suspend a drill string in a rotary table by anonfrictional suspension, and an elevator having an 5 opening beveled atthe top adapted to slide upwardly over the said suspension shoulder toengage the said elevator shoulder.

17. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the combination of a string ofdrill pipe, sections of said string having means for coupling saidsections together, parts of a section being constructed for support in arotary table for suspending the drill string, a lifting device having athreaded attachment to a section, and a non-circular wrench socketconcentric with the lifting device for attaching and detaching saiddevice, said device having means to beengaged by an elevator to raise orlower the drill string, said lifting device being removable forattaching another section of drill pipe to the drill string said socketbeing open at the bottom and forming a vent opening to the drill pipe.

18. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the combination of a string ofdrill pipe having means constructed for suspension in a rotary table tosuspend the drill string, a lifting device having a threaded attachmentto said pipe and having a non-circular wrench grip means, said liftingdevice having a laterally projecting elevator flange extending beyondthe pipe adapted to be engaged by an elevator for raising and loweringthe drill string, and another and upper pipe attachable to said pipeafter removal of the lifting device.

19. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the combination of a string ofdrill pipe, of a section of pipe having a coupling means for removablyattaching various sections of the pipe, a lifting device having a wrenchgrip socket and having a threaded connection with the coupling means,

said lifting device having a lateral projection extending beyond thecoupling means for engagement by an elevator for raising and loweringthe drill string, said lifting device being removable for attachinganother pipe section to the coupling means.

20. In a rotary well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 19, saidcoupling means having a shoulder at its connection with a pipe sectionadapted for non-frictional suspension of the drill string in a rotarytable, and an elevator having a beveled inner and upper surface adaptedto slide over said shoulder to engage the lateral projection on thelifting device.

21. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the 'combination of a string ofdrill pipe of a tubular coupling, means for securing adjacent sectionsof the string, a hollow lifting device threaded internally to thecoupling means and forming a vent to the drill string, said liftingdevice having a lateral projection for engagement by an elevator forlifting and lowering the drill string, said lifting device beingremovable for attaching an additional section to said coupling, thehollow portion of said lifting device being shaped to form anon-circular wrench grip socket for threading said device into and outof said coupling.

22. In a well drilling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, the plug havinga non-circular wrench socket adapted to be engaged by a wrench forinserting the plug in and removing the plug out of the coupling.

23. In a rotary well drilling apparatus, the combination in a string ofdrill pipe of a tubular coupling, means for securing adjacent sectionsof the string, said coupling means being internally threaded at theupper end, a lifting device threaded externally to engage the internalthreads of the coupling means and having a lateral projection forengagement by an elevator for lifting and lowering the drill string,said lifting device being removable for attaching an additional sectionto the coupling of the drill string, said lilting device having anon-circular wrench socket tor thread- ARTHUR E. JOHNSON.

